New IEC Standard Guides DRM Interoperability in Multimedia Devices

New York, Aug 26, 2008

From MP3 players and laptops to cable boxes and cell phones, a new standard published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) provides guidelines on digital rights management for consumer and household multimedia devices. IEC 62227, Multimedia home server systems - Digital rights permission code, makes it possible for multimedia content to be used and transferred legally across a variety of platforms.

Digital Rights Management (DRM) technologies are frequently used by content providers as a means to protect copyrighted material, prevent unauthorized duplication of work, and restrict usage of digital media and devices. However, because different DRMs are used in varying forms of multimedia, authorization cannot always be transferred from one device to another, creating a frustrating experience for consumers.

The new standard allows content providers to give consumers authorized access to all kinds of digital content, regardless of the device being used. IEC 62227 supplies users and digital content rights holders with a simplified permission code that can be recognized by many DRMs.

By taking complex permission information from rights holders and converting it into a simple numerical code, consumer devices such as cell phones, television receivers, personal computers, music or game players, and car navigation systems can decode the DRM and grant the necessary authorization.

The Consumer Electronics Association, also an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, serves as the U.S. National Committee-approved U.S. Technical Advisory Group Administrator to TC 100, carrying U.S. positions forward to the Committee.